The ever-expanding Jacob’s Ladder three-day music festival is back

Step right up

By BARRY DAVIS
AMERICAN HUSBAND and wife-led Nefesh Mountain quartet. (photo credit: Courtesy)
AMERICAN HUSBAND and wife-led Nefesh Mountain quartet.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The spring edition of Jacob’s Ladder Festival will take place at its regular seaside berth of Nof Ginossar on May 18-20.
The foreign performer guest list includes returning Canadian country, folk-rock and bluegrass sibling-led band The Abrams – back for a sixth time – as well as festival first-timers such as the American husband-and-wifeled Nefesh Mountain quartet, which plays what could be best described as Jewish Americana, and white hot cross-genre Italian violinist Luca Ciarla.
As usual, festival founders Yehudit and Menachem Vinegrad have lined up plenty of staple Jacob’s Ladder acts, such as the Larry & Mindy nostalgia-fueled show which, this time round, will feature the hits of Carole King and James Taylor, and irrepressible veteran rocker Libi will front the Flashback rock band and keep them decibels and positive vibes a-comin’.
The home front has plenty of class acts to offer too, such as vocalist-ukulele player Mika Sade, whose indie foursome includes Scottish-born guitarist Jill Brown, starlet viola player- vocalist Keren Tenennbaum and guitarist Orel Tammuz. Meanwhile, The Bloomers quartet will bring a taste of the Emerald Isle to the proceedings, while festival newcomer sextet Forest is said to pertain to the spiritual gypsy folk subgenre, playing “a fusion of music from the forest, the heavens and the depths of the ocean” that takes in “gentle melodic folk and psychedelic klezmer, from sophisticated prog to ecstatic chanting.” Ne’er a dull moment is expected.
The workshop side of the program includes the regular, ever-popular Irish and square-dance slots, as well intriguing debutant Dance of Life. There are also activities designed to keep young offspring gainfully and actively absorbed, while early risers looking to get some positive lakeside vibes flowing for the day can get their breathing and limbs in order with a spot of yoga or tai-chi.
For tickets and more information: www.jlfestival.com.